The following comes from a Mar. 31 release from the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.
The United States Senate today confirmed President Obama’s nomination of Los Angeles attorney John B. Owens to serve as a judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Confirmation came by a vote of 56-43.
Mr. Owens was first nominated for the judgeship on August 1, 2013, but the Senate did not act on the nomination during the last session of Congress. He was renominated by the president on January 6, 2014, and favorably reported to the Senate floor on January 16, 2014. He will fill a judgeship vacant since December 31, 2004, when Judge Stephen Trott assumed senior status.
“We are gratified that the Senate has taken action to fill this long empty seat on our bench,” said Ninth Circuit Chief Judge Alex Kozinski. “Mr. Owens is eminently qualified and I expect he will make a substantial contribution to the work of our court.”
Mr. Owens, 42, has been a litigation partner in the Los Angeles office of Munger, Tolles & Olson LLP since January 2012. His practice focuses on representing individuals and corporations in government investigations, and conducting internal investigations into allegations of corporate misconduct.
Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Owens served for 11 years as a federal prosecutor, focusing on white collar and border crime cases. He worked as an assistant U.S. attorney for the Central District of California in Los Angeles from 2001 to 2004, when he transferred to the Southern District of California in San Diego. He became chief of the Criminal Division in the Southern District in 2010, overseeing all criminal prosecutions in one of the busiest and most productive U.S. attorney offices in the nation.
Mr. Owens worked as a litigation associate at the law firm of O’Melveny & Myers LLP in Washington, D.C., from 2000 to 2001, and as a trial attorney in the Department of Justice, Office of Consumer Litigation, from 1998 to 1999.
Born in Washington, D.C., Mr. Owens received his B.A. with high distinction in 1993 from the University of California, Berkeley, and his J.D. from Stanford Law School, where he graduated first in his class in 1996. After law school, he clerked for Judge J. Clifford Wallace of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, and then clerked for Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg of the U.S. Supreme Court.
To read original release, click here.
Based on this resume, he is highly qualified to be on the court.
Based on his resume, Hitler was highly qualified to lead Germany.
A wonderful choice, an exceptional jurist, qualified, competent, practical and a balanced approach to the law! A gift to the Ninth Circuit Court!!
Due to Obama’s many violations of the US Constitution using his Executive Orders, I’m not comfortable with anyone he may appoint (until proven otherwise).
Usually politicians appoint people of like mind – good or bad.
This is why the election process is so critical.
Of course, he comes from Munger, Tolles and Olsen—the most rabid Leftist law firm in Los Angeles. Nothing good has ever come from Munger.
Shame on the Senate for confirming him. Undoubtedly, this was an appointment handpicked by Barbara Boxer and fellow travelers.
If the Democratic party can’t find a job for you in DC, you’re placed on the Ninth Circuit. We should not be surprised to learn that the Ninth Circuit has the highest rate of reversal by the US Supreme Court.
You are right. The 9th Circuit legislates from the bench. They don’t know or care about their appropriate legal role per the US Constitution.
Relevance to CCD? Do we now follow every court appointment in the country? If so, why?
Because Courts have unfortunately and more often legislated from the bench.
When we vote, we must always consider the candidates mind-set, because he or she will appoint people of like mind.
Including support for abortion, sodomy marriage, etc.
Another baby butcher one step from the Supreme Court.
I wonder if one of the commentators about the Ninth Circuit has access to published data concerning all of the Circuit Courts. It would be interesting to see a summary of the percent of cases affirmed [or Supreme Court declined to hear], partly affirmed, and overturned. Also what percent of cases not appealed further. If the Ninth Circuit is that ‘bad’, how much worse are they than their other black robed brethren?
Just the numbers. No editorials.